Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998
Live Center Problems
Don Emmerling
>I am new to wooodturning and while I will have plenty of questions later my problem right now is a stuck live center in the tailstock of a Jet 1442. I shouldn't say the item is stuck I just don't know how to get it out. I have tried punching it out with the rod, but that just knocks out the center pin. There doesn't seem to be any way of getting at the actual live center. Any thoughts out there?
Regards,
Don
On many lathes, crank the quill all the way back
Jeff Gerardot, Indianapolis IN
>Crank the quill all the way back and it will pop the live center out.
Re: Live Center Problems
georgetroy
>Live centers are different sizes. Not all tapers will come out when cranking tail stock back. This will work: simplly pry back with a bar where the live center housing is against the tail stock housing. GT
Re: Live Center Problems
Jorge Castaneda ~ Downeast Maine
>Don,
Have you tried tilting the rod a little so is not on center? or a slightly thicker road?
As Jeff tells you, backing off ussually loosens the tail stock.
Re: Live Center Problems
Ken from SW WI
>Are you trying to remove the whole live center from the lathe tailstock, or just part of the live center from itself?
It would help if you gave the brand and model of the live center in case someone has the same one and can help.
If you can't get the center to pop out when retracting the tailstock ram all the way in, it may be a stubby shank. Try cranking it all the way out, until you can remove the ram from the tailstock. Then you can get a rod in there as big as will fit through the threaded hole, and whack on it.
Re: Live Center Problems
Don Evans
>Don:
Would this be a OneWay Live center? When you said rod and it knocks out the center pin that is exactly what the rod that came with it is suppose to do.
The OneWay doesn't have the fin tail (on rear end of the LC) which is necessary for self ejection.
What you'll need is a larger metal round bar 3/8" in diameter, use it to knock out the whole LC.
If not, give us brand of LC.
Take a look at the instructions that came with it also.
Don
Re: My One Way knockoff self ejects
Al Crandall --NE of Indy--
>The tail fin (commonly called the tang) is not necessary for the live center to self eject from the tailstock quill of the Jet mini or the Powermatic 4224.
Re: My One Way knockoff self ejects
Don Evans
>Thanks Al:
I'm sure that would be true on small lathes. Actually any lathe with a short quill throw.
Yep, I know its called a "tang" in the machinest world but to save lot of explaining people pick up on the fish tail if they have ever seen one.
Some lathes, like the Nova 3k will not self eject even MT's that are made too. I assume it has to do with the through hole in the quill.
Don
